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Social-emotional training

Social-emotional learning, often abbreviated SEL, is about developing skills that help children and young people understand and manage their emotions, function in relationships, and make good decisions in everyday life. This can involve, for example, being able to manage stress, cooperate with others, and resolve conflicts constructively.

Research on a Swedish program for social and emotional training from 2008 by Birgitta Kimber, Rolf Sandell, and Sven Bremberg shows that such efforts can make a big difference in school. Over a five-year period, students who took part were found to develop better mental health and stronger social skills.

What made the biggest difference?​

The research points in particular to three important factors.

Long-term and regular work​

Short projects or one-off efforts are not enough – the work needs to continue over time. In school, this can mean, for example, practicing social skills every week, working toward the same goals year after year, and letting students return to themes such as emotions, empathy, and cooperation. Just as in mathematics, you improve when you get to practice regularly over a longer period.

The teacher leads the work​

The work functions best when it is the students' own teachers who lead the training, rather than external people who come in temporarily. When the class teacher leads exercises, conversations, and reflections, the work becomes a natural part of teaching and the school day. Students then get support from an adult they already have a relationship with, which strengthens both safety and engagement.

Wholeness and structure​

For SEL efforts to have an effect, the work needs to be clear and structured. This can involve, for example, practicing several skills in parallel – such as listening, cooperating, and managing conflicts – and using role-play where students get to practice everyday situations. When the work is built up in clear steps, students develop abilities that connect with one another and can be used in practice.

Summary​

Research shows that social and emotional learning works best when it is:

  • Long-term
  • Part of regular teaching
  • Structured and covers several skills.

This is one of the many studies that underpin how we work with social and emotional learning in Pomelo.

Kimber, B., Sandell, R., & Bremberg, S. (2008). Social and emotional training in Swedish schools for the promotion of mental health: An effectiveness study of 5 years of intervention. Health Education Research, 23(6), 931–940.